Roll screen and spring positioning means



ROLL SCREEN AND SPRING POSITIONING MEANS Filed NOV. 50, 1961 Mhmmnnna ua-q '1 I E c INVENTOR. it WALDO o. JOHNSON W United States Patent )fiice 3,179,161 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,179,161 ROLL SCREEN AND SPRING POSITIONINGMEANS Waldo 0. Johnson, Wooster, Ohio, assignor to Weather- Seal, Inc., N. Barberton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,924

2 Claims. (Cl. 160-313) The present invention relates to screen rollers, shade rollers and the like, and particularly to a roll screen and the spring positioning means provided therein.

There have been various types of rollers provided for shades, screens and similar articles in the past and many different types of positioning brackets and roller units have been developed and made heretofore. One problem that frequently arises in rollers of this type is that the coil spring member, which normally is present within the tubular portion of the screen assembly, may be broken, or pull loose, or the springmay be made inoperative for one or more other reasons. Hence repair of these rollers is frequently necessary, particularly where the roll and spring have been extensively used and the roll is frequently turned to raise or lower the screen, or shade means carried thereon.

Heretofore it has been necessary to send the entire screen assembly into a repair shop when anything goes wrong with the screen roll, and particularly with the spring means therefor, as such spring means within the roller is the usual element thereof that requires repair or replacement. Naturally when one takes the shade or screen to a repair shop, it must be repaired and then be returned to and be replaced in the operative assembly. Thus the expense of and difliculty in making such repairs is materially increased.

The general object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and other difficulties in screen or shade roll assemblies, and to provide a novel and improved roller unit and improved positioning means for the spring thereof characterized by the readily removability and replaceability of the entire spring unit to permit such action to be done by a relatively unskilled worker at the point of use for the screen or shade roller.

Another object of the invention is to provide a special removable end bushing or plug in a screen or shade roll, which plug mounts the control spring means or assembly of the shade, or screen roll internally of the roller unit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shade or screen roll where one end plug for a tubular frame member is removably associated therewith by mechanically interlocked means and where the spring means are removably carried by a control rodassembly in the screen or shade roll unit.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

In order to understand the present invention more completely, reference now should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, with a portion of the members being broken away, and with the roll frame being shown in vertical section, of a typical screen positioning roll assembly embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of an end plug for the screen roll shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side elevation of the end plug shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation of a tubular frame member for the screen roll assembly shown in FIG. 1.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings, and referred to in the specification, corresponding numerals are used to facilitate comparison therebetween.

The present invention, generally speaking, relates to a roll screen assembly, which comprises a tubular frame haying a slot provided in one end thereof, plug means engagingone of the ends of the tubular frame and having a center aperture therein, the plug means having peripheral flange means thereon engaging the frame slot to retain such one plug means in a fixed position relative to the frame means, coil spring means anchored at one end onthe plug means and received within the frame, a control rod extending through the said one plug means for operatively positioning the roll screen, and means operatively engaging the other end of the spring means and the control rod within the frame to control the torsion in the spring by relative rotation of the control rod and one end of the coil spring means so that the. one plug means, coil spring means, and control rod and operative positioning means for the control rod can all be removed as a unit and be replaced by a similar operative unit.

When referring to a roll screen or the like in the present invention, while a screen means is shown, it will be realized that the apparatus of the invention can be used for positioning a shade or other suitable roller article, as desired.

Reference now is particularly directed to the details of the structure shown in the accompanying drawings, and a roll screen embodying the principles of the invention is generally indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This roll screen includes a tubular frame 2 usually made from suitable metallic tubing and having one or more open ends provided therein. In this particular embodiment of the invention, a nylon or other suitable plastic plug 3 is engaged with one end of the tubular frame and such plug 3 is shown as having a stem 4eXtending therefrom that engages a suitable positioning plate, or bracket 5.

The opposite end of the tubular frame 2 preferably has some recess or means, such as a diametrically extending slot 6 formed therein, and again, a suitable plastic plug, usually a nylon plug 7, is removably and frictionally engaged with that end of the tubular frame. The plug 7 has diametrically opposed lugs, or ribs 8 formed thereon and such lugs are complementary in shape and positioning to the slots 6 for effective frictional engagement therewith to aid in positioning the plug 7 against rotation with relation to the tubular frame 2.

In order to provide the desired take-up action and movement in the roll screen assembly, a coil spring 9 is'received within the tubular frame 2 and one end of the coil spring 9, as a feature of the invention, is attached thereto. The plug 7 is shown as having a boss or hub section 10 formed thereon and extending axially inwardly of the tubular frame 2. A center aperture or bore 11 also is provided in the plug 7 for a control rod 12 to be received therein for a purpose to be described hereinafter in more detail.

As a feature of the invention, the boss 10 is provided with a threaded periphery of the proper diameter so that the plug 7 can be threaded into engagement with the end of the coil spring 9 and be snugly and firmly retained in engagement therewith for operative use of the roll screen 1. At its opposite end, the coil spring 9 may engage a suitable member, such as a disc or washer 13, which is snugly but rotatably positioned in the bore of the tubular frame 2. This washer 13 also positions, or is secured to the inner end of the control rod 12, as'by inserting a split end of the control rod 12 through the center hole in the washer 13 and flaring such ends outwardly so as to secure it to the washer. In all events, the control rod 12, and inner end of the coil spring 9 are formed into an operative unit which can be rotated with relation to the tubular frame 2. The outer end of the control rod 12 protrudes beyond-the tubular frame 2 and engages a suitable bracket, or positioning member 14 by a fiattened end 15 of the control rod. Thus the control rod can be held against rotation with relation to the bracket 14 but with relative rotation between the control rod assembly and the tubular frame being permitted by the tubular frame 2 rotating on the stem 4 of the plug 3 as occasioned by tension in the spring 9 when the end of the control rod 12 is released. The engagement between the brackets 5 and 14 and the stem 4 and control rod 12 are made in accordance with conventional practice whereby the screen 16 can be held in a fixed position, or the screen can either be rolled up on the frame, or be drawn therefrom, as desired. Usually the free edge of the screen 16 may have a reinforcing tape, or member 17 provided thereon. Any suitable guides 18 may be associated with the screen 16 to aid in guiding movement onto and off of the tubular frame 2.

It should be realized that the tubular frame 2 may be made of any desired shape but that it does require one open end. Any suitable interengaging means is provided between the plug 7 which frictionally engages such open end of the tubular frame to close it and with such fric tional plug member being removable as a unit with the control rod 12 and associated members including the coil spring 9 of the assembly whereby a relatively unskilled worker can pull the plug 7 from one end of the tubular frame and remove the entire coil spring assembly. Hence when the coil spring needs replacement or repair, a new operative spring unit can be inserted into the tubular frame 2 and an on-the-spot repair action can be obtained. This frictional fit between the plug 7 and the tubular frame and any friction between the washer l5 and tubular frame 12 is only sufficient as to retain these members in good operative assembly but not to prevent disassembly of the members. A tool, suchas a pair of pliers, can engage the free end of the control rod 12 to pull it axially from the tubular frame.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that a novel and improved type of a roll screen has been provided by the invention and that the objects thereof have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In a roll screen, a tubular frame having a diametrically positioned and axially extending slot provided at one end thereof,

plastic plug means engaging the ends of said tubular frame, one of said plug means having a center aperture therein and peripheral flanges frictionally and removably engaging said frame slot to retain said one plug means in a fixed position relative to rotation within said frame,

coil spring means anchored at one end on said one plug means and received within said frame,

a control rod extending through said one plug means and operatively engaging the other end of said spring means to control the torsion therein by relative rotation of said control rod and one end of said coil spring means whereby said one plug means, coil spring means and control rod can be removed as a unit and similar means be substituted therefor, said coil spring means urging said one plug means axially inwardly of said tubular frame to aid in maintaining said flanges in said slot, and

said one plug means having a threaded boss thereonplug means engaging the ends of said frame, one of said plug means having a center aperture therein and peripheral flange means removably engaging said frame slot to retain said one plug means in a fixed position relative to rotation within said frame,

coil spring means anhcored at one end on said one plug means and received within said frame,

an integral control rod having a longitudinally split inner end extending through and journalled in said one plug means and protruding therefrom in both directions, said control rod having an outer end for operatively positioning one end of the roll screen, and

means including a washer journalled in said frame and operatively engaging the other end of said spring means and the split inner end of said control rod within said frame to control the torsion in said spring by relative rotation of said control rod and one end of said coil spring means with relation to said frame; said one plug means, coil spring means, control rod and Washer being removable "as a unit from said frame at the slotted end thereof so that similar means can be substituted therefor, said one plug means being urged axially inwardly of said frame by said coil spring means to aid in retaining said one plug means flange means in said slot when said roll screen is operativelypositioned.

9/27 Great Britain. 8/49 Canada.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. LAWRENCE CHARLES, NORTON ANSHER,

CHARLES OCONNELL, Examiners. 

1. IN A ROLL SCREEN, A TUBULAR FRAME HAVING A DIAMETRICALLY POSITIONED AND AXIALLY EXTENDING SLOT PROVIDED AT ONE END THEREOF, PLASTIC PLUG MEANS ENGAGING THE ENDS OF SAID TUBULAR FRAME, ONE OF SAID PLUG MEANS HAVING A CENTER APERTURE THEREIN AND PERIPHERAL FLANGES FRICTIONALLY AND REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID FRAME SLOT TO RETAIN SAID ONE PLUG MEANS IN A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO ROTATION WITHIN SAID FRAME, COIL SPRING MEANS ANCHORED AT ONE END ON SAID ONE PLUG MEANS AND RECEIVING WITHIN SAID FRAME, A CONTROL ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ONE PLUG MEANS AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING THE OTHER END OF SAID SPRING MEANS TO CONTROL THE TORSION THEREIN BY RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID CONTROL ROD AND END OF SAID COIL SPRING MEANS WHEREBY SAID ONE PLUG REMOVED AS A SPRING MEANS AND CONTROL ROD CAN BE REMOVED AS A UNIT AND SIMILAR MEANS BY SUBSTITUTED THEREOF, AS A COIL SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ONE PLUG MEANS AXIALLY INWARDLY OF SAID TUBULAR FRAME TO AID IN MAINTAINING SAID FLANGES IN SAID SLOT, AND SAID ONE PLUG MEANS HAVING A THREADED BOSS THEREON AND ONE END OF SAID COIL SPRING BEING IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, AND A WASHER POSITIONED IN SAID TUBULAR FRAME AND ENGAGEMENT INNER END OF SAID CONTROL ROD AND TUBULAR FRAME TO SUPPORT ROTATIVELY ENGAGING SAID TUBULAR FRAME TO SUPPORT SAID MEMBERS IN SAID TUBULAR FRAME FOR RELTIVE ROTATION THEREBETWEEN, SAID WASHER BEING CARRIED BY AND REMOVABLY WITH SAID ONE CONTROL ROD. 